Dispenser mechanism



May 23, 1950 c. c. BAUERLEIN 2,509,124

DISPENSER MECHANISM Filed June 21, 1945 Patented May 23, 1950 DISPENSER MECHANISM Carl C. Bauerlein, Glencoe, Ill., assignor to The Dole Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 21, 1945, Serial No. 600,780

3 Claims. (Cl. 225-21) This invention relates to dispensing appa- .ratus and more particularly to a dispensing nozzle structure of a dispenser for beverages of the carbonated type.

.An object of this invention is to provide a simple and more compact dispensing mechanism respecially adapted for use in the dispensing of several fluids together such for example as carbonated syrups and the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a dispenser of the type for dispensing several uids together, a valve mechanism so closely associated with the dispensing nozzle that after the iiow of uid to the mechanism has been shut oif a minimum amount of fluid will be available for subsequent drippage through the nozzle.

A further aim of this invention is to minimize in a dispenser the amount of drippage that may occur after the shutting off of the valve mechanism controlling the dispensing of fluid from the nozzle. Y

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in a dispenser a nozzle, a cup closely associated therewith for sup plying uid thereto, a sleeve closely embracing Y the outer wall of the cup, a passageway leading to the space between the cup and the sleeve and a valve mechanism in close proximity to the sleeve for controlling the flow of uid through the pas-y the dispensing of several fluids, such as, carbonated syrups and the like.

Other objects and features of this invention will more fully appear from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a single embodiment thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the lower part of a dispenser and showing the essential features of this invention; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line II-II of Figure 1 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows and showing more in detail the construction of the valve mechanism.

As shown on the drawings: The reference character In designates generally the housing of any suitable construction and which includes a main front wall II and a false front wall I2 spaced from the wall II and which carries the manually operable handle |13 for controlling the dispensing of fluid from the device.

The bottom I 4 of the housing has an opening I5 telescoped by a skirt I6 of a sleeve I I which has an enlarged outer shoulder I8 for embracing the underside of the wall around the opening I5. Threaded into the skirt I6 of the sleeve I'I is an upwardly extending tubular sleeve I9 having a shouldered upper end and which extends through an opening in an interior bottom wall 2| of the housing. The shoulder 20 engages the top side of the bottom wall 2l around the opening therein so that by tightening the sleeve I9 in the sleeve I 1 it is possible to draw the two together in tight cooperation with their respective walls I4 and 2| Both of the sleeves may be of a circular cross-section and their flanged ends I8 and 2D may, if it is so desired, be provided with wrench flats for turning the same.

C'oncentric with and disposed within the sleeves I 1 and I9 is an inner sleeve 22 having an enlarged upper end 23 provided with an outer groove 24 in which is a rubber or synthetic plastic flap type gasket 25 for providing a seal-tight t between the sleeve 29 and the sleeve I9. The lower extremity of the sleeve 22 is threaded on its inner surface so as to have screwed therein a retainer ring 26.

Also concentric with and disposed within the sleeve 22 is a further inner sleeve 21 having an enlarged head 28 at its upper end engaging the enlarged upper end 23 of the sleeve 22. This enlarged upper end or head 28 of sleeve 21 is provided on its outer surface with a groove 29 in which is disposed a flap gasket 30 similar to gasket 25. This gasket provides a seal-tight ilt between the two enlarged ends 23 and 28 of the sleeves 22 and 21.

Disposed between the lower portions of these two sleeves 22 and 2'I is a conical-like compression spring 3| the lower coil of which abuts the closure ring 26 and the upper coil of which abuts the shoulder of the enlarged upper end 28 of the sleeve y2l. This spring 3l servesto force the sleeve 2l upwardly against the lower end of the bottom 32 of a dispenser container 33.

Positioned within the sleeve 2'I is a cylindrical uid or syrup holding cup 35 having its bottom wall provided with a central opening 36. The upper end of the cup 35 is formed open and communicates with the interior of the fluid container 33 of the dispenser in which fluid such as syrup is contained. It should be noted that the bottom ring 32 of the container is provided with a groove 31 in which is disposed a flap type rubber or plastic gasket 38 for establishing a seal between the upper end of the cup and the wall of,tbelbottom..32 and embracing vthe upper end of the cup.

Secured in the lower end of the sleeve 21 is a nozzle which may be made of any suitable material such for example as synthetic plastic and which is designated generally by the reference character 49. The nozzle isprovided with ...an outer plastic tube 4| and an inner plastic tube 42 4secured to the outer tube at spaced intervals l ,s'lee.v.e. 2`|. A plurality of Y,capillary passages 45 are formed between the cup andtheinnersurlace. of the sleevel ,21 so esto permit V:of the ,pas- ,sage oi fluid .such as` carbonated water "through .thespace between ...the .cup `.and v.the sleeve. The presentinvention is not-concerned with this parl. ticular structure and theA ,same is .more fully Lreierred to anddescribed in the (zO-,pending ap- .,plicationsserial No. '575182. In fact, the entire Vnozzlemechanism is claimed in that Vapplication las thepresentginvention iSv primarily Concerned with.val.v e,meclcianismto be ,hereinafter described invclose proximity tothese. capillary passagemarisu.

vThe.capillary passagesmayibe :of any suit- -lable lconstruction ralthough -it is contemplated --thatithey-.may beef aspiralarrangement. The glowerextremities of 4.thesepassageways communicate with theinteriorof `.the outer nozzle tube tat 46. ,fact, .itis .sodesiredthe point of communicationwat ,-may .be in the 'form of .a seBiesQfopenings. ,Inany eventiit is clear that thewebs or 'Avanes .43` in the tubular nozzle 4l! ,Serve to -assist impreventing anywhirlingY ofthe carbonatecl fluid. The ewebsor .varies `4.3y may -ci-:any suitable gnumber `asV noted before and `iffitis-sodesiredthey.may be staggered .in the passageway between the two nozzle tubes 5| -and 4.2.

vItiscontemplateol-.f-or sanitary reasons that the gnozzlefMl may bemade of anycsuitable plastic ialthcughfl preferably propose to .make it .of a transparentplastic. :It ifs-detachably .and ,snugly ghelcliinthe Aopen lower end of the movable. pis- ;tonflike sleeve ,21.

Ylhe--foentralaperture 36. in 4the `syrup .cup 35 fis ndaptedto-benormally 'closed by the rounded :endsof .a ,central uvcarried by an rmener-cup 5| which includes a vent tube 52 inicommunioation with the upper end Vof .the .cup 35. This @uppergcupsEfl.isdisposed withinthe tank 33 and inside `of Va,-cylindrical .screen 53 the lower end ;of:which carried ontheelementor ring .32 and the-upper fend^of -whichis secured .to a anged .ring 54.

vlormally when Vthe dispenser .is ,in .a closed position or in other words ...is .not dispensing uid, ,fthelbeveled outer redge55 Iofthecup| is spaced dispensing. The syrup is, of course, held within the cup by reason of the fact that the lower turned end of the pin is seated in the centrally apertured bottom of the cup 35 so as to close and seal off the opening 36 communicating with the nozzle 40.

The ring or element 32 is provided with an inclined, or diagonal passageway 56 which ter- ;minates at its lower en'd at the upper l'enlarged end 28 of the movable sleeve 21 so that upon fluid, such as carbonated beverage, entering the passageway 56 it can act directly upon the -upper end.of-.thepiston-like sleeve 21 to force the same downwardly .whereby both the sleeve 21 and the nozzlene arecrnoved'fdownward. The downward movement-oithisassembly is limited by the nozzle All Vcontacting the shoulder 58 formed on the interiori of .the retaining ring 26.

During the course of this movement the central valve pin 5|] and the cup `5| also move downwardly until the beveled edge of the cup 5| is :seated cnrthe beveled #shoulder 51 thus Vclosing the-opening 36 th-usenabling the syrup in-'the cup 35 tctra-vel downwardly Vthrough the central nozzle Lvtube -52 at the same timevas carbonated fluidis entering the outer 'tube-Maremvthe/capillary passageways 45.

iMy invention is particularly concerned Nkwith the provision of a valveV mechanism for controlling the flow of carbonated water orthe like into the passageway `5E Aand r more particularly with Vthe location of'thisvalve mechanism in'close proximity to the capillary passageways 45. Arr-'advantage of having -the-:valvemechanism which is designated generally by the reference Vcharacter 65, "so arranged that the 4discharge 'of -fluid is almost vdirectly into Xthe Ycapillary -passageways 45 throughv the Ydiagonalpassage 5,5, Aresides 'in ythe lfact that after )the valve -mechanism is closed there will be a minimum Yamount of ilufidin 'the passageway '-56 available for `subsequent drippage ithrough'the nozzle 4|). I shall now-proceed :to

describe-the valve Vmechanism 60.

The element 'or ring 32 has suitably attached toit anouter valve housing'i "thefieft hand. end ofY which is' .in vdirect Vcommunication lwith the diagonal ,passagewayii andtherightLhand end of which, ars shown in Figure 1, is closedby an annular plug 52. The interior of the Acasing or housing 6 l vbetween the inner end of the plug and the discharge end of 4the. casing is Aprovided. with an inlet pipe connection'63 (Fig.'2) to which -fluid or carbonated water vis suppliedthrough` the valve. This uid `may bedelivered to the pipe 63 from any suitable source not shown.

Positioned centrally of the casing '6| is a reciprocatcryplunger E4 the outer end of which lis adapted to'bear Vagainst the head `|55 of a plunger structure 66 for moving'the valve plunger 34 .in a. ,direction toward the nozzle for opening the valve.

The plunger V64 inside ofthe casing is surrounded bya compression spring '61 one end of which abuts asui-table collar structure B8 on the Vplunger 5, adjacent the plunger- '64 and 'the other endof .which abuts a shoulder or flange .at'Bi-l in the casing I. 'This arrangement issuch that the spring4 E1 will normally urge the plunger 64 .toward the right and against the head 65 of the loperating plunger Vmechanism B6.

The `center ofthe plunger ,64 is formed vhollow for a part of its lengthas designated at 1U and this hollow end is in direct communication .with 'the inclined passageway 5B. The plunger is also provided with a lateral port opening 1I in communication with the hollow of the plunger and which is normally, when the valve is closed, inside of the closure plug 62 and out of communication with the inlet port 63.

Thus when the plunger 64 is pushed to the left in Figure 1 the port 'H is brought into direct communication with the inlet 63 thereby enabling carbonated fluid to ow through the bore 1l) of the plunger 64 into the diagonal passageway 56 for operating the sleeve 21 in the manner previously described.

It will be perceived from Figure l that a series Vof rubber gaskets most of which are of the flat iiap type are employed to seal the parts of the valve mechanism 60 wherever breaks or gaps occur. Detail description of the same is not believed necessary as such gaskets function in the usual way as sealing members.

The handle I3, connected to a rotary member supported on the central pin 16a in the front l2, is provided with an internal cam surface 'I6 for actuating the plunger structure 66 upon rotation of the handle. This handle structure does not constitute, per se, part of this invention and hence will not be described in detail herein. However, it should be noted that any suitable mechanism may be provided for depressing the valve plunger B4 when it is desired to open the valve for dispensing fluid through the nozzle 40.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dispenser, a nozzle, a cup closely associated therewith for supplying iiuid thereto, a sleeve closely embracing the outer wall of said cu-p, a member disposed about said cup and defining a passageway leading to the space between said cup and sleeve, and a valve mechanism secured in said member in close proximity to said sleeve for controlling the flow of second uid through said passageway to said space, said passageway being relatively short so as to minimize the amount of fluid left in said passageway and which would be available for drippage ciprocable plunger valve movable in a direction at substantially right angles to the direction of ow of fluid through the nozzle.

2. In a dispenser, a nozzle, a cup closely associated threwith for supplying fluid thereto, a sleeve closely embracing the outer wall of said cup, a member disposed about said cup and deiining a passageway leading to the space between said cup and sleeve, and a valve mechanism secured in said member in close proximity to said sleeve for controlling the flow of second fluid through said passageway to said space, said passageway being relatively short so as to minimize the amount of fluid left in said passageway and which would be available for drippage through said nozzle when the valve mechanism is closed, said nozzle comprising concentric tubular portions with the inner tube in alignment with the discharge orice in the bottom of said cup and with the outer tube in alignment with the annular space between the cup and the sleeve, the two tubes being open at their lower ends so that the fluids may be jointly dispensed therefrom in a common stream.

3. In a, dispenser, a nozzle, a cup closely associated with said nozzle for supplying iiuid thereto, a sleeve closely embracing the outer wall of said cup and defining a fluid channel therebetween leading to said nozzle, a, support ring disposed about said cup having a passageway leading to the channel between said cup and said sleeve, a pivotal seal ring between said cup and said support ring for permitting relative movement while maintaining the sealing engagement, a valve mechanism secured in said support ring adjacent said passageway and connected to a source of a second iiud, and means for actuating said valve mechanism for permitting flow of the second fluid directly into said passageway to act on said sleeve to move it downwardly for discharge of said rst and second fluid from said nozzle.

CARL C. BAUERLEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,180,848 Hess Apr. 25, 1916 2,415,861 Bauerlein et al. Feb. 18, 1947 

